🇷🇺🇲🇬⚡- After a series of setbacks in Africa, Russia is now courting a new stronghold on the continent: Madagascar, Le Monde reports.

Moscow has heavily invested in relations with the new President Michael Randrianirina, a former commander of the elite CAPSAT unit that seized power last year. President Randrianirina has already paid Russia a visit.

Russia has supplied Antananarivo with military equipment and has begun a large-scale media campaign at influencing the locals, which includes radio channels, a new pro-Russian political party, and more. Moscow has also expressed interest in a strategic port in the north of the country.

🇷🇺🇺🇦⚡- Ukraine's proposed ceasefire has begun, however Moscow has yet to respond and Russian drones are still operating in Ukrainian airspace.

Zelensky proposed a ceasefire for the 5th and 6th of May, with the possibility of extending it to the 8th and 9th. The proposal was a counter to Putin's Victory Day ceasefire. Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs had earlier sent letters to Western governments requesting Ukraine accept the Victory Day ceasefire, which is planned to run through the 8th and 9th of May.

🇺🇸⚡️- Primary elections are being held in Indiana and Ohio tonight. The state level GOP representatives who went against President Trump on redistricting are expected to lose in Indiana. In Ohio, Vivek Ramaswamy will win the GOP nomination for Governor while Amy Acton will be the Democratic nominee.

🇮🇷⚡️- Two explosions reported at Qeshm Island, Iran.

The island is directly in the Strait of Hormuz, and is the largest single island in the narrow waterway. It is unknown the cause of the explosions.

🇮🇷⚡️- BREAKING: An Iranian cruise missile was seen heading toward the Strait of Hormuz after being launched from Bandar Abbas.

Initial local media reports say that a cargo vessel was struck and is on fire.

🇺🇸🇮🇷⚡️- BREAKING: President Trump announces a pause to “Project Freedom” due to significant progress toward a complete and final agreement with Iran.

🇺🇸⚡️- Polls have closed in Ohio. Vivek Ramaswamy has been selected as the GOP nominee for governor, defeating Casey Putsch.

Amy Acton ran unopposed and will be the Democratic nominee.

🇬🇧⚡️- The favorability ratings of the Green Party has decreased significantly over the last week following Green leader Zack Polanski's comments attacking British police over their treatment of an arrested terrorist.

🇺🇸🌎⚡️- “On May 5, at the direction of SouthCom commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations. Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations. Three male narco-terrorists were killed during this action. No U.S. military forces were harmed.” - U.S. Southern Command.

🇮🇱⚡️- The American-born Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard is launching a political career to the right of Bibi Netanyahu. Pollard is urging the expulsion of Palestinians in Gaza and criticizing Netanyahu’s failures to win the wars in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran.

🇿🇦⚡️- A treated evacuated patient in South Africa was confirmed to carry the Andes hantavirus strain. This strain is the only one with claims of inter-human transmission, which is now a confirmed transmission method of the virus.

Other evacuated patients are treated in Zurich and the Netherlands.

🇪🇸⚡️- Canary Islands' President has refused the docking of the infected MV Hondius cruise ship in one of his ports. He asked for an emergency meeting with Spain's PM to discuss the situation.

🇲🇱🇷🇺⚡️- A Malian journalist reports there was "friction" between the Malian junta and the Africa Corps / Russia. The root cause of it was a lack of cooperation on the ground, which led to the recent losses. Despite this, the junta still wishes to cooperate with Russia. A shipment of military equipment from Russia should arrive shortly to Bamako, per the same journalist.

🇬🇧⚡️- The elections are tomorrow not today, forgive me its 5 AM and our British admin is at work

🇬🇧⚡️- Reform is the main right wing party competing across the country as Restore Britain is only contesting 9 council seats in Norfolk. The Tories are expected to continue their death spiral.

🇰🇵🇰🇷⚡️- North Korea has amended their constitution to remove all mentions of reunification with South Korea.

🇰🇿🇷🇺⚡- In yet another blow to Kazakhstan-Russia relations, Kazakh's Energy Ministry announces it will curb all Russian electricity imports by 2027, with state-owned KEGOC seeking to increase domestic power generation and cut reliance on Moscow.